www.redhouserecords.com
Singer-songwriter, John Gorka is a unique talent. He has a fabulous singing voice and, he writes great songs too. While not all the songs on the album are his own, the ones he has brought in are likewise top order fare. As in his fine interpretations of the poems of Robert Burns and William Stafford, respectively ‘Ae Fond Kiss’ and ‘Where No Monument Stands’, plus you have versions of Bruce ‘Utah’… Continue

www.ravenrecords.com.au
West-coast singer Linda Ronstadt came along at a hugely creative time in her region. With her folk, country and rock influences merged as one, her vibrant singing voice was nothing less than remarkable. Country rock was making its name and with such hot pickers as Clarence White, Red Rhodes, and Earl Ball on the recording Hand Sown… in 1969 and a year later top Nashville session men Charlie McCoy, Pete… Continue

Tennessee husband and wife duo Ricky and Micol Davis’ third album has been mastered by Motown legend Bob Ohlsson who worked on many of Stevie Wonder’s hits. Heaven & Earth bears the Ohlsson stamp but is very far removed from those Wonder tracks. Always Lookin’ is a mid-paced Country rocker with a little funk on the side. A rasping vocal from Micol Davis makes for a good opening. The slow and hypnotic eponymous title track is played on piano… Continue

Athens singer-songwriter Vic Chesnutt, whose struggles with his own mortality played out in his lyrics, has died from an apparent drug overdose. (report from Access Atlanta)

"In the few short years that we knew him personally, Vic transformed our sense of what true character, grace and determination are all about," said Constellation records founders Ian Ilavsky and Don Wilkie in a statement released Friday… Continue

Here's a best of the decade list; I'd like to have put both of Drew Nelson's albums in, partly because nobody seems to have picked up on him much and I reckon he's quite special. In no particular order. All of these I love everytime I hear them and some of them are definitely comfort music for me by now.

An Atlanta native, Patrick Vining has been playing music since he was a child but it was only when a friend played him a Muddy Waters record that he knew that he had to sing the blues. That love of the blues continues with his latest album, Atlanta Boogie, which opens with a Kansas City style blues, Everybody Knows. Vining has one of those lived-in voices and Mike Bourne’s sharp guitar compliments it very well. Chicago blues man Bourne is… Continue

To say that Govt Mule is a success would be a bit of an understatement. 2 million paid song downloads from their website, 7 critically acclaimed albums and sold out coast-to-coast US and European tours are testament to that. They open their 8th album with a bit of a Texas stomp and that’s no surprise when you hear that ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons has added his not insignificant skills. Broke Down On The Brazos is bass heavy, thanks to new bassist… Continue

A new Rosie Flores album (what joy) and one on Bloodshot Records entitled the Pine Valley Cosmonauts presents, Rosie Flores "Girl of the Century" is enough to have this pilgrim drooling at the mouth before the first cord is even stuck.

The Pine Valley Cosmonauts were founded and are driven by seminal punk poets The Mekons…Continue

www.wirlierecords.co.uk
What a fantastic showcase for acoustic music from both sides of the Atlantic the now legendary Transatlantic Sessions have become. For it has not only proved to be a fantastic showcase for the likes of Emmylou Harris, Guy Clark, Iris DeMent, Kate and Anna McGarrigle and Irish songbirds, Mary Black and Dolores Keane but the likes of stellar musicians Stuart Duncan, Phil Cunningham, Donal Lunny, Russ Barenberg,… Continue

There were five tracks on Lou Vargo's 2007 disc, American Disaster and two years later he has crafted six songs to present to us on Sunday Night Serenade. Not prolific, then, but he says himself that his songs take a long while to gestate and that many get rejected along the way. American Disaster was very well received and opened a lot of doors for him, but I'd say that this new one is a finer achievement.

www.properuk.com
In tribute to old-time musician, hard drinking womanising banjo playing vocalist Charlie Poole (1892-1931), American folk legend Loudon Wainwright once married to fellow folk artist, Kate McGarrigle and father of Rufus and Martha Wainwright who are now forging careers of their own dips back in time for material on this album. Plus, along with songwriter-producer Dick Connette written nine new songs to go with the other twenty… Continue

As a teenager, Philip Sayce was held in such high regard as to be invited to join the Jeff Healey Band and played with them at the Montreux Jazz Festival and many other sold out gigs around the world. After moving to Los Angeles he joined Uncle Kracker and was with the band when they had their massive US number 1 with Drift Away. He then joined Melissa Etheridge’s band and was with her until 2008. Now temporarily on his own, he releases his… Continue

Dave Desmelik has been round a musical block or two. At one time he was a member of the hottest band in Flagstaff - can't say I know how big Flagstaff is, but it's a fair bet it's bigger than Dingwall. Now, though, he's moved back to the old south and has recorded this, his sixth album, in Nashville. There's country sounds in here, and some supporting players, but in line with the album title this sounds pretty much like… Continue

It's the top ten end of the decade, time to reminisce about some great times seeing musicians play in the Highlands. It's been a great time for me, re-discovering gig going after all the years when a young family meant other things took priority. My only regret is that I don't have the time and money to see more. Still, scarcity value counts for a lot. Anyway, here's my completely arbitrary list of favourite gigs in the last ten years (or so):

www.myspace.com/heatherbristow
Raised in North Carolina in the USA, Heather Bristow prior to relocating to the UK, where in her adopted county of Bath in Gloucestershire she gained a master’s degree in poetry from the Spa University. On combining her poet talent with a love for the sparse, folk and bluegrass world, Bristow in the company of a wonderful set of musicians decorates the album with her self-penned songs in stylish… Continue

TO celebrate its 24th birthday, the Jumpin’ Hot Club had Americana singer-songwriter Danny Schmidt and his tour partner, Carrie Elkin, open. Although London-based Pete Molinari, fresh from five months recording and playing in America, topped the bill, but it was Schmidt and Elkin who… Continue

Show #49 features a hodgepodge of recent independent Americana releases. Artists include DAVID WILCOX, NELL ROBINSON, THE O’S, ASYLUM STREET SPANKERS and JUDY TAMPA & BUNKO SQUAD. The full playlist is posted below. Here’s the iTunes link to subscribe to or download the show and here’s the direct…Continue

Little Feat are a seminal rock band that came to prominence in the 70's by bringing all the strands and history of American music into one melting pot and serving a mighty meal of modern music that has effected the lives of music fans around the world ever since. These days the band still produce great albums and tour the world playing festivals and concert halls in all the major cities, they even have their own fan festival every year at a holiday resort in Negril Jamaca where… Continue

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